The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to March 30, 2018 due to lack of evidence showing he was unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the economic component under Ray as his income from his part-time job at a Ford dealership exceeded the poverty threshold for one person. The non-economic component also demonstrated that the Veteran had skills and experience in skilled employment due to his education level, previous work experience, and ability to perform tasks without significant impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20063892
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20063892.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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